Bloom || Hanako x Reader

CHAPTER NINE - Red Book

I'M FOLLOWING THE MANGA!!

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Haruka slowly looked at him, as her eyes widen in shock. "You... have noticed?"

"Ye-yeah, I have!" he exclaimed, to make sure it didn't seem like he only realized it thanks to Hanako pointing it out. Kou would never admit that he owed something from him. It would be a disgrace to his dignity.

"Now, when you think of it, shouldn't ghosts be immune to any harm?" said Nene, covering her mouth in thought. Being honest, she hasn't noticed that Haruka was getting more bruises, and that bandages were in different places than before. "Why are you getting those scars?"

Haruka started looking around nervously "Uhh, about that..." she sighed, as she realized that the cat's out of bag and crossed her arms. "Alright, there is no point in hiding it now."

The teenagers started listening more carefully, which kinda disconcerted the spirit, as she looked down at her feet. "Do you... remember the rumor? About Haruka Flowers?"

"Um– Uh– No...?" Kou put his hand on the neck, embarrassed.

"Hee? We have known each other for so long, and you still did not learn it?" silver-hair girl shook her head. "You are disappointing me..."

"Oh, I do! I do!" shouted Nene. "It's about flowers bringing luck, and that it depends on us if it comes true!"

Haruka giggled "Perfect! At least someone!"

"But there's still no connection to the flowers and your scars" the boy crossed his arms. "Are you trying to make us guess?"

"Um, yes?"

"You're complicating things."

"It would not be that complicated, if you simply knew the rumor" she teased him. "Anyway, Nene, do you remember anything else?"

Yashiro closed her eyes and tried to recall where and when she heard the rumor. It was with Hanako... when she was looking for something to grant her wish... and then Aoi came to her and told the rumor... "There is a small part of a field in our school's garden... beautiful flowers are still growing... after you are done... you have to snatch the petals one by one..."

"...I still don't think I understand."

"That is actually because you do not think" Haruka looked him dead in the eyes. "Nene has just said the exact thing."

"I did?!" Nene gasped as she realized what the ghost was talking about. "The petals...! If someone doesn't snatch them..."

"...it affects you!" Kou finished the sentence.

"Yes!" Haruka clapped, proud of her friends.

"But why?"

"Uh, why would I know? It just... happens."

"OH MY!!" Nene yelled, completely ignoring the fact that she was still in a library. "The rose! I lost it and I didn't snatch the petals!"

"Oh yeah, I remember that" the spirit said, gently touching her forearm, where the scar caused by the peach-colored flower was, with the other hand. "But it disappeared after a while, so I guess someone did that for you. Bet it was Hanako."

"I... forgot as well" Kou looked at her, ashamed.

"More precisely, you passed out" explained the light-hair girl. "Hanako snatched them, though."

"Huh, I did not know that. I guess that is why nothing appeared" Haruka unconsciously looked at the place, where the injury would be located.

"Wait..." Nene interrupted. "Back then Hanako said something among lines 'The flower still grew'. What does that mean?"